I've got several Smart Pots as well as testing out a line of Fanntum Containers for my containerized fruit trees. I live in Central CA where the heat is crazy. However, only two of them have the gritty mix and I was betting I wouldn't make it through the summer in those. I suspect the gritty or 511 mix in a fabric container, in dry 100+ weather, will not work unless you are a watering maniac. I made it through last year in plastic containers with the gritty mix (added 20% more turface and reduced granite) but the hottest days did require container shading. Also the smallest containers, and one citrus tree where the roots were extensive and filled the container, required a cache pot or placing mulch around them. Those is my area scoff and say you *must* use peat or coir in every mix to survive the summer heat. Well I've certainly found that peat "bakes" (as does other media), when used in plastic containers in full sun. Just because a mix holds lots of water doesn't mean you can ignore root temps. There is not enough aeration in a heavy water-retentive soil in a plastic container for it to release the heat. A benefit of fabric containers is when you place them directly on the ground, the capillary wicking action of water in ground contact is supposed to help drainage even when you use poorly draining soil/media. In addition, supposedly the fabric containers "reduce soil temps" due to the aeration. So this year I'm testing with a typical peat-based soil, and an even heavier mix of cheap potting soil, in Smart pots and Fanntum containers on the ground to see how well they do. I'm hoping they'll require the same amount of watering as the gritty mix in plastic, yet be cooler. Don't know yet. I'm also testing blueberries in the plastic grow bags which are white on the outside and black inside. They are so cheap (like .75 ea for 10gal) and I want it to retain moisture and have cooler roots for the BB. BTW, so far I really like the Fanntum containers. Though they won't need "washing" like Smart pots, I do not know how well the "tarp like" material will last from UV damage. But the wire support around the fabric container is *very* helpful for larger sizes 10gal and up. I wish their 5gal sizes included wire supports, but they don't. It's not a retail type place, no online ordering, etc and they mostly cater to growers who purchase in bulk. But Alan Fanntum is sharp, flexible, and pleasurable to work with. He did the best he could to fit the containers in a small package to ship via UPS. You may pay as much for shipping as the containers themselves, but overall they were still much cheaper for me than Smart Pots. A 10gal container runs $4 whereas the smart pot was about $10 locally. Smart pots become economical if you brave the largest sizes, as they are only a few bucks more than the small/medium sizes.

Automakers need to stay alert to compete in a worldwide industry. Staying at the top of current technology is one way automakers try to stay relevant. However, as our cars learn to do increasingly more things, they need more controls and instrumentation. Touchscreens have become commonplace as a way to handle dashboard crowding. BMW, however, is considering a different tack: smart fabrics that become touch-sensitive pads. Smart fabric may be used in future BMW models. Smart fabrics, also known as e-textiles, are fabrics woven with digital components. The fabric is made of woven flexible, and is similar to Teflon, according to C:Net. While the technology is not ground-breaking, it has been refined to a great degree in order to reliably control a range of functions. The fabric is sensitive to different types of touches.

Smart Pots are great, but they're expensive. Root Pouches are significantly less expensive, and, so far, I like them just as well as Smart Pots. The info that you shared above sounds reasonable. Most fall crops should be fine in 10 gallon or smaller pots, but you could also go with multiple plants in larger pots. If you're planning to fertilize organically, I'd suggest 15 gallon or larger pots. The larger volume will reduce soil temperature and moisture fluctuations, thereby creating an environment that's more hospitable for the microorganisms that make an organic system function. This post was edited by shazaam on Mon, Sep 9, 13 at 16:48

Vladimir is right. If you try to re pot those grow in 'fabric' pots. many fresh roots ripped away as you peel back the fabric. One should also disinfect the fabric before reusing it for other plants. I like the 'air' pots! So much easier to use and to me are a lot lighter and easy to handle. In fact, I am giving those to my sister so she can plant all her perennials or shrubs in them and stick them into the ground to protect from critters. Mike